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Welcome to the seven hundred and second blog interview with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with humorous murder mystery novelist Frankie Bow. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Hello, Frankie. Please tell us about your new book, The Musubi Murder (which is already out as an audiobook and will be published in hardcover this August, 2015).

The Musubi Murder features Professor Molly Barda, a reluctant sleuth who is very much a fish out of water. She’s a big city girl recently transplanted to remote Mahina State University, using her top-ten literature Ph.D. to teach resume-writing to business majors. She just wants to keep her head down and stay out of trouble until she gets tenure, so naturally she ends up getting dragged into the middle of a grisly murder case.

What secret talent do you have?

Passive aggression. I am a champ.

🙂 If you could have any accent from anywhere in the world, what would you choose and why?

I would like to have a wardrobe of accents: Irish to be intriguing; French for flirtation. Received pronunciation will get and hold my students’ attention. And there’s nothing like a paint-peeling East Coast accent to get things done.

Characters are often written into situations they aren’t sure they can get out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

I nearly got stuck being the designated driver for Superbowl at our local sports bar. I was facing the grim prospect of sitting through a football game, and sober to boot. Fortunately the bar was full and we repaired back to our house. It was happenstance that got me out of it, not my cleverness, but I was relieved all the same.

If you had a superpower, what would it be? Would you use it for good or evil?

Flying, definitely. I would use it to get places on time and avoid traffic, so good, right? I’m not sure how the FAA would feel about it, though.

If you were an animal, which one would you be? Why?

I would want to be a costume animal, really a human in a costume. Like one of those dancing sharks from the Katy Perry Superbowl halftime show. Best of both worlds, really.

What do you want to accomplish with your stories?

If someone bursts out laughing while reading one of my books in a public place, I have accomplished my goal.

Do you have any strange writing habits or superstitions?

I have a unique time management strategy called “procrastination.”

What is your favorite reader fan experience?

I love knowing that there are still unread books ahead from a favorite author. I’m reading the Parasol Protectorate now, and will start on the Finishing School Series next.

What literary character is most like you?

I’ll say Hilary Tamar. I am a person of great mystery and intellect. Or so I prefer to think.

If you would like to send me a book review of another author’s books or like your book reviewed (short stories, contemporary crime / women’s novels or writing guides), see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog. And I post writing exercises every weekday on four online writing groups.

Every weekday I post a set of poetry prompts on poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com and a set of story prompts on the script, novel and short story blogs (and poems, script / novel extracts, stories at the weekends, when I get them). As you’ll see by the headings, you’ve missed a few but they’re listed on the relevant group’s Exercises page so you can always find them there…

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes per exercise, having a break in between each one or move on to the next. When you’ve finished, do pop over to this blog’s Facebook Group and let everyone know how you got on.

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

See below for explanations of the prompts, they do vary…

Sentence starts = what it says on the tin. You can use it at the beginning of the poem or include it later, and being poetry it doesn’t have to be exact – just be inspired by it.

Keywords = the words have to appear in the poem but can be in any order and can be lengthened (e.g. clap to clapping).

Single-word prompt = sometimes all it takes is one word to spawn an idea. Sometimes it easy, sometimes hard but invariably fun.

Mixed bag = an object, a location, a colour.

Picture prompts = nothing other than a picture. What does it conjure up?

Every weekday I post a set of poetry prompts on poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com and a set of story prompts on the script, novel and short story blogs (and poems, script / novel extracts, stories at the weekends, when I get them). As you’ll see by the headings, you’ve missed a few but they’re listed on the relevant group’s Exercises page so you can always find them there…

Here are your four poetry exercises for today. Time yourself for 15 minutes per exercise, having a break in between each one or move on to the next. When you’ve finished, do pop over to this blog’s Facebook Group and let everyone know how you got on.

Below are the four – you can do them in any order.

Keywords: legal, eviction, fourteen, quit, date

Random: a dog snoring

Picture: what does this inspire?

Sentence start: Right here…

Have fun, and if you would like to, do paste your writing in the comment boxes below so we can see how you got on! Remember though that it counts as being published so don’t post anything that you would want to submit elsewhere (where they require unpublished material).

See below for explanations of the prompts, they do vary…

Sentence starts = what it says on the tin. You can use it at the beginning of the poem or include it later, and being poetry it doesn’t have to be exact – just be inspired by it.

Keywords = the words have to appear in the poem but can be in any order and can be lengthened (e.g. clap to clapping).

Single-word prompt = sometimes all it takes is one word to spawn an idea. Sometimes it easy, sometimes hard but invariably fun.

Mixed bag = an object, a location, a colour.

Picture prompts = nothing other than a picture. What does it conjure up?

The latest prompt from storyaday.org is below. For the other prompts given this month, see the SADM 2014 page.

It’s the end of the StoryADay May 2014 challenge.

But it is just the beginning of the rest of your writing life.

I hope the challenge this year has opened your eyes to how very, very creative you can be; to how well you can write; and how important it is to the world that you keep writing.

Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming Revisions course and do keep in touch!

An Ending And A Beginning

Tips

Without wishing to sound like a motivational poster, the end of one thing leads to the beginning of something else. Write your story today in that moment of transition.

Will your character struggle with the idea of the ending, or be wildly excited about the new beginning? Will your character’s expectations be upset? By what?

Every stage of life has transitions. Some are expected (leaving school, getting married, starting a new job) and others come completely out of the blue (a death, the end of a friendship, a job offer, a pregnancy, someone else leaving home). Think about how this affects your character’s reaction.

Go to town on this story. Use everything you have learned this month about: how you write best, when you write best, what length works for you, what tone/style works for you, what kinds of characters speak to you most, the kinds of dialogue or description that you enjoy, the use of suspense, beginnings, middles, ends, theme, character, conflict, action, the ways you’ve learned to get yourself into the writing zone… Everything you have worked on in your writing this month is a tool you can use in this story, today. Have fun. Let yourself go. Finish the story.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post a spotlight or interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.

I welcome items for critique directly (see Editing & Critique) or for posting on the online writing groups.

The latest prompt from storyaday.org is below. For the other prompts given this month, see the SADM 2014 page.

There are 215 days left in 2014. What will you do with them?

As the StoryADay May challenge for 2014 winds down, it’s time to look back a bit, forward a bit, and plan how you’ll use the lessons learned in this month of extreme writing. Hop on over to the community hand have a chat about your plans.

But not until you’ve written today’s story.

Two Hundred And Fifteen

Tips:

You could really go anywhere with this.

Use the number as a countdown; a hotel room number; the number of tasks someone has set themselves to complete before they die…anything.

Remember to give us a character through whose emotions we can feel the whole impact of the story.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post a spotlight or interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.

I welcome items for critique directly (see Editing & Critique) or for posting on the online writing groups.

The latest prompt from storyaday.org is below. For the other prompts given this month, see the SADM 2014 page.

On May 29, 1913, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet score ‘The Rites of Spring’ premiered in Paris and sparked a riot!

(Wouldn’t you love to have a short-story-reading public that was so passionate about the art, they were willing to throw punches?!)

Write About A Gathering Of Experts That Degenerates Into A Rammy

Tips:

This could take place at a business or scientific conference. Imagine someone presenting a radical, innovative idea and being rowdily challenged by his fellows.

This could be historical, present day, fantastical or sci-fi. You decide.

Make sure you set high stakes for the participants. In Stravinsky’s case, he was a young composer, trusted by the great choreographer Diaghalev to compose something new and untested. There were two factions in the audience: the wealthy, conservative ballet lovers and the young upstarts who wanted to revolutionize all things artistic. What will your story’s opposing forces have to lose if their ideas are rejected?

Remember, as well as the spectacle and opportunity for action in this story, it must be about characters. Make us care about your characters.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post a spotlight or interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.

I welcome items for critique directly (see Editing & Critique) or for posting on the online writing groups.

If you ever think of submitting your stories to literary magazines, contests, anthologies, or other publications, you need to know two things:

They are often themed and holiday stories are always popular. Your story needs to be written, edited, submitted, selected, corrected, and green lit, month in advance of the actual holiday. Write your December stories now. Time’s running out.

Write A Story Tied To A Holiday That Takes Place In November / December / January / February

Tips

Evoke the sights, smells, sounds and emotions you associate with that holiday.

Put on some appropriate holiday music to get you in the mood.

Go beyond the obvious idea for the story associated with your chosen holiday. No saccharine tales of redemption or bitter humbug retellings of A Christmas Carol, for us!

Make the characters stronger than the trappings of the holiday.

Write the story for someone who has never participated in your holiday traditions. Show them what it’s like to be you at Christmas / Hanukkah / Hogmanay / Groundhog Day.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my Books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and I also have a blog creation / maintenance service especially for, but not limited to, writers. If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating and choose an optional free eBook.

For writers / readers willing to give feedback and / or writers wanting feedback, take a look at this blog’s Feedback page.

As I post a spotlight or interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t unfortunately review books but I have a list of those who do. If there’s anything you’d like to take part in, take a look at Opportunities on this blog.

I welcome items for critique directly (see Editing & Critique) or for posting on the online writing groups.